What is a job interview?

Everyone has a job interview at some point in their life and they can be scary things. However, they are really nothing to worry about.

All a job interview does is give employers the chance to meet you and see if they like you enough to give you a job. Simples. Get it right and you could end up with a great job, get it wrong and you’ll have to live with unemployment or a role you hate for a bit longer…

So, what exactly is a job interview?

The employer (and hopefully your future boss) asks you questions about your career, personality and life and you answer honestly while trying to impress them. Easy, right? Not really - job interviews can be really stressful.

However, if you prepare properly for your job interview – and it really is easy to do(!) – then you can get rid of the nerves and show your interviewer why they MUST hire you. And so our interview advice is designed to get you job interview ready…

Just follow these 5 easy steps and you will stand the best chance of getting a job.

1. What type of interview is it?

There are three main types of interview and when you are offered one they should tell you what to expect…

One-to-one interview – The most common type… You are interviewed by just one person (usually the boss!) and it’s a simple question and answer session.

Panel interview – A bit scarier… This is where you’re interviewed by more than one person at a time – expect two or more interviewers to be in the room with you.

Competency interview – The most advanced interview type. You’ll be tested on different situations e.g. ‘tell me about a time when you showed good teamwork’.

2. What should I wear?

It may sound silly but you must plan your interview outfit. You don’t necessarily have to wear a suit, depending on what job you’re going for, but you should follow a few simple dress code rules (see below)…

3. Practice these interview questions

YOU MUST PRACTICE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS! OK, that was a bit dramatic, but this is where many people mess up. By just spending a little bit of time looking at common interview questions and answers you can really improve your chances of getting the job…

4. Body language in the interview

It may sound weird but body language has a big part to play in your job interview. For example, if you sit slouched in your chair with your arms crossed you could come across badly, even if your answers are good…

5. Don’t forget to ask your own questions

At the end of almost every interview, the interviewer will say to you ‘do you have any questions for me?’ If you shrug your shoulders and get tongue-tied then you can look uninterested. Go in with a few interview questions of your own prepared, instead.